More arrested on SAPS recruitment fraud
Pretoria - With the recruitment process for nearly 5000 entry level posts about to be advertised, the National Commissioner of the South African Police Service, General Riah Phiyega, has once again issued a warning to those individuals who ate considering joining the police through illegal means. "Don't ruin your future by either offering or accepting bribes. We have a thorough and fair recruitment process, whereby all appointments are recommended by a Provincial and Community Board and not by individuals as in the past. If someone promises you a job in exchange for money, you are likely to end up disappointed and possibly arrested," General Phiyega said.
Her remarks follow yet another breakthrough by the task team she has set up to investigate recruitment fraud and corruption in the South African Police Service, which arrested three people this past week. This arrest brings the total number of people arrested in connection with recruitment fraud and corruption to 18. The team arrested a woman, Gwendoline Moletje (39) on a warrant of arrest. Moletje, a security guard at the SAPS Head Office in Pretoria, allegedly promised young unsuspecting job-seekers that she would secure them work in the SAPS for a fee of between R2000 and R5000.
Moletje worked with two men, a Tshwane Municipality electrical contractor as well as an unemployed civilian. Both these men allegedly impersonated police officers, using the rank of Captain and several falsified surnames and also allegedly misled young hopefuls into believing that if they paid the stipulated amount of money, they would secure employment in the SAPS. Furthermore, this trio also allegedly promised a school that they would assist in erasing a substantial utility bill owed by the school to the Tshwane Municipality for a fee. The task team conducted investigations into these two allegations and subsequently arrested the trio.
This task team was established in 2013 after a woman complained that she had been overlooked for a job in the SAPS despite meeting all the requirements of the recruitment process and she believed that undeserving applicants were considered. Since its inception, the team has made huge strides in bringing alleged fraudsters to book. The arrested eighteen individuals comprise of twelve (12) SAPS employees which includes 5 police officers and 7 civilian employees, a security guard employed by the police and five (5) members of the public.
Eight of the eighteen people arrested were from the Soweto police station. The arrests also include the Benoni Cluster Commander, Brigadier Ndebeni, on charges of fraud and corruption after she allegedly used her position as chairperson of a selection panel to replace deserving candidate with an undeserving one. Her case will be heard again on 19 January 2015 in the Soweto Regional court. The SAPS employees are also facing disciplinary charges.
Already, Lieutenant Colonel Myando was found guilty and dismissed last week, which highlights the seriousness with which the SAPS management views its members being involved in corrupt activities. Myando, as well as the other accused, will continue to answer to criminal charges. In the meantime, Moletje and her two co-accused are likely to face charges of fraud and corruption, while the two men are also likely to face additional charges of impersonating police officers. They are expected to appear in the Pretoria Regional Court on Monday, 27 October 2014.
Statement issued by Lieutenant General SM Makgale, Head: Corporate Communication, National Commissioner's Office, South African Police Service, October 26 2014
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